OWINGS MILLS, Md.—The life of former Ravens and Browns owner Art Modell, who died Thursday morning, embodied the National Football League. But he also will be remembered for his great love for family and his players.

Modell, 87, died from natural causes at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore with sons David and John at his bedside. The NFL lost a great statesman, and Ravens players, former and current, said they lost a great friend.

“When you think about Art Modell, you think about a great man, a leader, a father and a servant,” said Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who was the Ravens’ second pick in the first round during the team’s first draft in Baltimore 16 years ago.

“Every minute of his life, he cared more about everyone around him than himself. Anytime I saw him, he would always make me smile. I genuinely loved Art as a man, and he showed me what to strive for in life. When you truly see the impact he had on everyone he touched, it humbles you."

Modell moved his Browns franchise to Baltimore in 1996—a decision that made him a pariah in Cleveland—and then sold a minority stake in the team to Steve Bisciotti in 2001. Modell completed the sale to Bisciotti in 2004 and stepped aside.

During Modell’s years in Baltimore, the players liked seeing him on the sideline. The Ravens wanted to win the Super Bowl in the 2000 season just as much for the “old man” as they did for themselves.

“Art meant so much to me because he gave me an opportunity when there were some people questioning me as a player and person,” former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis said. “As an owner, he never missed a practice. Rain, sleet, snow, whatever, you always saw him on his cart.

“That set the tone for us as a team, especially during the Super Bowl run. He was at every practice, knew every player’s name and treated us like men. He ran a first-class organization, and what you see in the Ravens today was built on Art’s legacy. He was a great man, and as much as it saddens me that he is gone, I’m happy he is reunited with (wife) Pat (Modell, who died in October).”

It's impossible to talk about the history of the NFL without mentioning the contributions of Modell. His legacy is as significant as some of the other NFL's storied owners like Wellington Mara and George Halas. Modell transcended the game from the days of Blanton Collier and Jim Brown in Cleveland to the times of Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden in Baltimore.

Modell’s record is impeccable. He helped launch Monday Night Football. He worked closely with late commissioner Peter Rozelle to establish NFL Films. Modell was chairman of the Owners Labor Committee in 1968 when it successfully negotiated the NFL's first collective bargaining agreement.

Modell's record was unmatched when it came to hiring minorities in the front office, and the NFL certainly wouldn't be the No. 1 sports league in the world today if it weren't for Modell negotiating TV contracts from 1962 through 1993.

He also won NFL championships in 1964 with the Browns and 2000 with the Ravens. Modell owned the Browns from 1961 to 1995 before moving the team to Baltimore. As part of the move agreement, he had to leave the Browns name behind as well as team history and records. The Ravens were treated almost like an expansion franchise, though Browns players and executives moved with Modell.

“I had a special relationship with Mr. Modell, and he’s probably angry that I’m not calling him Art,” former Cleveland quarterback Bernie Kosar said. “We were close when I played for him and became even closer through our adversities. He was such a caring person. The first thing he would ask is, ‘How are you doing? How are the kids?’ He told me that I was like a son to him, and that made me proud.

“A lot of Clevelanders wouldn’t believe this, but Art is one of the most loyal and trusting persons I’ve ever met,” Kosar added. “Maybe that led him to some decisions that not everyone liked. But he was tough—always willing to take the brunt of things on his shoulders. He didn’t blame others. This is a sad day for me. I truly valued his friendship and will miss that.”

Modell always gave his players a second chance. His Inner Circle program, developed in Cleveland, was an in-house organization that helped his players overcome financial problems as well as alcohol and drug addictions. Modell liked being tight with his players.

“Art was more than a great owner; he was a great man,” said Ogden, the first player drafted in Ravens history. “When I first met him, and he welcomed me to Baltimore, I knew he was special. The Ravens organization was a special place to be. He was more concerned with everyone else than he was about himself. Always wanted to know about how you and your family were doing.

“He is definitely one of the nicest, kindest people I have ever met. It would be very difficult to imagine what the NFL would be like today without a visionary like Art Modell. He was a ‘glass half full’ person every day of his life. I will never forget how he treated me and my family. He will always have a very special place in my heart.”

Mike Preston covers the Ravens for Sporting News and The Baltimore Sun.